Figure device



Oct. 19, 1937. B, Humps 2,096,130

FIGURE DEVICE Filed June a, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 19, 1937 B.PHILLIPS FIGURE DEVICE Filed June 6, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. PHILLIPSFIG URE DEVICE Filed June 6, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheetv 3 FIGURE DEVICE FiledJune 6, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATESPATENT: osp l g g I Barnet Phillips, Rye, N. Y. Application Junec6,1935, Serial No. 25,319

5 Claims.

The present invention is means for the production of figures from afoldable blank. 7

The invention aims primarily to provide means whereby a single blank orsheet of paper,'cardboard, stifiened cloth or other material, printed,stamped, painted or embossed properly, may be folded and otherwiseshaped so as to produce a predetermined figure which will trulyrepresent in relief the character which it is intended to simulate orportray. 7 a V Particularly, the invention pertains to a foldable devicefor amusement or instruction of the general character disclosed by theUnited States Patent to Vine No. 502,896, dated August 8, 1893, butwhich improves the idea therein expressed in such Way that more completeand perfect characterization may be accomplished by the formation ofadditional planes, surfaces and projections (the Vine patent has onlyfour planes) ,whichpermits of agreater variety of figures, such as theheads of birds, beasts, reptiles and fish; flower forms; and the headsof women or men or caricatures thereof.

The invention-is carried out by means of the structure hereinafter morefully detailed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:1 v

Figure 1 is the face or front view of a blank from which the head of abird is reproduced,

Figure 2 is a view of the back or reverse side of the blank after thefirst folds have been made,

Figure 3 is a similar View after the second folds have been made, r

Figure 4 discloses the reverse side of the blank when folded as shown inthe'preceding figure, 1

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the profile of the figure afterthe'folding has been completed and the parts manipulated to produce thefinished figure, I

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the figure,

Figure '7 is a rear elevation of the bird figure.

Figure 8 is a face or front view of a blank from which may be folded orformed the head of a jester or other fantastic representation of thehuman head,

Figure9 is a view of the reverse side of the blank after the first foldshave been-made,

Figure 10 is a similar View showing the'appearance after the secondfolds have been made,

Figure 11 is a view of the, reversible side after all the primary'foldshave been made.

Figure 12 is a front view of the figure when completed;v

Figure'13 is a sideelevation or profile view'of the completed figure,

slits and interfitting parts, and, while portions of the blank may beentirely removed, in none of the many figures or caricatures which I; amable to construct by my methodis it necessary that ma:

terial or parts be addedto the blank as originally p d. 7 *F In carryingout the invention,- use is made of a blank of paper, linen, cardboard,or other foldable material capable of having printed or paint; edthereon embellishments or parts of the figure it is desired to reproduceas'a composite. The blank is preferably of rectangularform of equallength and breadth, and is provided with major or pri-. mary lines offolds A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The lines A are spaced equi-distantly andparall'el'the top and bottom edges of the blank, and the lines B aredisposed at right angles thereto and parallel the sides of the blankwhile the major lines of fold C extend diagonally from corner'to cornerof the blank. The lines D, E, F and G extend across corners of theblankand intersect the central lines of the A and B groups at the edgesof the blank, thus describing a central square,

minor lines of fold l6, disposed at angles to both major fold lines,extendpredetermined distances from the rectangles in the corners of theblank toward the center thereof. Incisions'are made at l8 and I}! aswell as upon a 'curved 'linelll near each upper corner of the blank inorder that sections of the bird's upperbill or beak may be brought intorelief.

' Near the opposite lower corners of the blank are incisions 2| and 22,as well as minor lines of fold 232425, the portions: thus describedconstituting lower beak or bill portions ofi-the bird; It will beobserved that the portions to represent the upper and lower beak or billportions converge toward the center of the blank.

To facilitate proper folding of the blank and to thedimensions indicatedat 26 is removed, While lower left hand corners of the blank constitutemeans for maintaining the figure in assembled position. These tonguesare adapted to engage 'within slots 28 locatednear the upper corners ofthe blank. Darts or incisions 29 in the lower corners and at the bottomand top serve'to enable parts of the completed figure to be extended 7ment with slots 40 in upper jaw portions, while outwardly from the planeof the blank.

The inner portions of the, upperobill sections of the blank are adaptedfor folding or bending upon the curved line 30, the corresponding bentportions of the adjacent bill sections engaging.

Likewise, the" edges of the lower bill defined by the linesj'zl are" 'tobe folded upon lines 23 to provide abuttin each other in the completedfigure.

surfaces 23 in the completion of th'e'lower bill.

ing process.

sentations as shown, while a third corner 31 is imprinted to representthe lower lips and chin portion. Parts of the blank "immediatelyadjacent to the facial representations are cut away as at 38 in orderthat nose and upperand lower lip portions may be formed thereon in thefold Tongues 39 are provided adjacent to the lower jaw portions forinterlocking engagepartsADofthe blank areremovedat the junctureoficertain lines of foldtoperm'it of folding without puckering and toreduce thickness;

' The figure here in contemplation carries a peculiar head-dress, and inorderthat this may be properly reproduced an incision 4| is made upon-one of the diagonal lines of fold C inward from 7 the upper edges apredetermined distance. These portions 30' and 23 of -the'upper andlower bills may be glued together if desired in order beak' portions 32project radially from the body I 'byinserting the fingersin the cellsbetween the of the blank due to theincisions defining 'aor tions' ofsaid beaks. The blank isnext folded backwardly along-upper andlowerlinesA aswell as the outer lines- B, producing the representationshown-in Figure 3. Atthe same time, the

beak portions; are bent alongrlines I6, 30, 23 and 24. The blank is thenreversed and presents the configuration shown in Figure 4. When sopositioned the blank is ready for the final movements to produce thecompositehead. Withtheblank inltheposition as shown in -,Figure 4',thecenter is depressed, causingthe'upper'and lower beak portions to movetogether; while the rear portion of the blank-forms -itself into webs orribs" represented 'at33' and'34 in Figures5and 7. The tongues 21 "duringthis: folding -movement are caused. to'enter and look within theirrespective slots 28,'while theinturned portions of the upperand-lowerbill pieces coincidewith each other.

7 r The applicationof--glue;'paste or other adhesive to these'portionswill firmly maintain the figure inv assembled relation. Portionsof-the-edge of p the blank may be bent or curved forwardly or rearwardlyas desiredto lend -amore realistic or fantastic appearance to thecomposite :fi'gure.

It will thus be seen that due to the particular arrangement 'of' majorand minor Iinesof fold, as well as'the cutting of the blank described, acomposite figure maybe produced very closely simulating the figureintended in both' front and side "views. Moreover; the tongue and slotarrangement at the sides of the bill of the figure permitsrelativemovement'between the upper and lower'bill portions," and it'willbe understood that webs 33 and 34life-likefmovements 'ofthe bill may besimulated. Thewebs 33 and 34' maybe used-in handling the figure. andalso may be used as a support when it is desired to display the'Figures' 8' to :14; inclusive, disclose abl'ank so imprinted as to"produce a clown or jester. In this form the same major lines-of foldare em ployed, but" different minor fold lines and incisions arenecessary'dueto the difference in appearance ahdpiOfile of the figureto" be composed: "Opposite corners "of-the blank 35 and 36 Similarly,-curved slots 42 extend inwardly predetermined distances from the top andone side of the blank to permit of the headedress being properly shapedand-also to permit ofthe-zones indi- The chin-piece indicated at-3l isslit inwardly from one corner-as am; to produce'a-flaring collarieffectwhile the minor lineaof fold defines the juncture of the chin with thethroat.

y It-will be observed that the same inventive idea as described in thefirstfigure. is 7 here; carried forth, the only. variation being.mmorchangesin incisions,- tongues and slots minor lines of fold and thepictorial representations upon-parts of the blank. "While inthis-figure-all themajor lines offold-are used,-parts of some of themmay betleft unfolded in the production of the-desired composite figure.Due to the -vairiation in the fold of this figure, itQwillbe-observed-by-reference to Figures,13 and 14 that the webs o r ribsat-the rear of the head: assume different' positions, While the webs ofthe bird's headproducesafour cell rear. structure,-those ofthe-jestecprovide a-three-cellarrangement. It will be understood, ofcourse-that to enable-theheadtoretainits proper folded position, gluemay be applied to the mating surfaces of the face structure, where-. byarigid and'permanent form'is assured.-

The foregoing isa descrlption of but two forms capable of being carried-out under the same in- .ventive idea, but it will-.-be-understood thata a great variety of figures and shapesmay equally as effectively bereproduced with onlyslight changes in the lines of minor fold, thelocation and shape of incisions or parts to be removed and i withvariations in pictorial representation 'of figure parts. ,-I wishitundrstood, therefore, that the invention is not necessarily to belimited to those forms herein shownand described,- as a r -1. A blankhaving m'ajor lines of'fold disposed at anglesto each other;minor'lines-of' fold "on said blank'of relatively shortlen'gth,"pictorial 'represeritations of -parts of afigure on portions"of said blank, parts of said'blank adjacent" to certain parts ofsaid'representations'adapted -to be'cut and projected from the 'planeofsai'd blank when the'latter is folded on said lines, saidproj'ectedparts lying adjacent 'to' both major and'minor lines of fold andconstituting projecting features of said figure when the blank has beenfolded properly on certain of said major and minor lines.

2. A blank having major lines of fold disposed thereon in spacedrelation and at angles to each other, said lines extending to the edgesof said blank, pictorial representations of parts of a figure onportions .of said blankto be brought together in a composite figure whenthe blank is folded on proper lines, tongues integral with said blankadjacent to certain of said figure parts, said tongues adapted to beprojected out of the plane of said blank, said blank having parts tocooperate with said tongues in maintaining the blank in set up position,certain of the lines of fold forming trusses at angles to each other inthe rear of said figure to reinforce the same.

3. A blank provided with lines of fold and having thereon pictorialrepresentations of parts of an animate figure, portions of said blankhaving cuts therein to permit of the blank areas adjacent thereto to beprojected from the plane of the blank, the said out portions havingpictorial representations thereon of other parts of the said animatefigure, said blank when folded upon proper lines and when said outportions are projected bringing said pictorial representations of thecut and uncut portions of the blank into such 7 7 relationships as toproduce a composite animate figure.

4. A blank provided with lines of fold and having thereon pictorialrepresentations of parts of an animate figure, portions of said blankbeing out upon lines defining certain complementary parts of saidpictorial representations to permit 7 V such parts to be projected outof the plane of said ing out upon lines defining certain complemen 'taryparts of said figure, said out portions disposed in such relation totheir respective lines of fold as to project out of the plane of thesheet when folded on such lines, and said out portions cooperating witheach other and with'the uncut portions of said blank to form'acompositeani-f mate figure when the blank and portions are properlyfolded.

BARNET PHILLIPS.

